Pauline Hanson still ignorant, bigoted & divisive as ever

Guardian (Aus Ed):

'Today' show dumps Pauline Hanson for 'divisive' remarks about Melbourne public housing residents

Channel Nine initially promoted One Nation leader’s comments describing people locked down due to coronavirus as ‘drug addicts’ who ‘cannot speak English’

Pauline Hanson

For readers who don't know who Pauline Hanson is, read on:

Despite Hanson's repeated denials of charges of racism, her views on race, immigration and Islam have been discussed widely in Australia. In her maiden speech to Parliament in 1996, Hanson appealed to economically disadvantaged white Australians by expressing dissatisfaction with government policy on indigenous affairs.

Following Hanson's maiden speech her views received negative coverage across Asian news media in 1996, and Deputy Prime Minister and Trade Minister Tim Fischer criticised the race "debate" initiated by Hanson, saying it was putting Australian exports and jobs at risk Other ministers and state and territory leaders followed Fischer's lead in criticising Hanson.

In 1998, the resurgence of popularity of Hanson was met with disappointment in Asian media. Her resignation from politics in 2002 was met with support from academics, politicians and the press across Asia.

In 2004, Hanson appeared on the nationally televised ABC interview show Enough Rope where her views were challenged.

In her maiden speech, Hanson proposed a drastic reduction in immigration with particular reference to immigrants from Asia.

After Hanson was elected to Parliament in 1996, journalist Tracey Curro asked her on 60 Minutes whether she was xenophobic. Hanson replied, "Please explain?" This response became a much-parodied catchphrase within Australian culture and was included in the title of the 2016 SBS documentary film Pauline Hanson: Please Explain!.

In 2006, Hanson stated that African immigrants were bringing diseases into Australia and were of "no benefit to this country whatsoever". She also stated her opposition to Muslim immigration.

Ten years after her maiden speech, its effects were still being discussed within a racism framework, and were included in resources funded by the Queensland Government on "Combating racism in Queensland".

In 2007, Hanson publicly backed Kevin Andrews, then Minister for Immigration under John Howard, in his views about African migrants and crime.

In 2015, Hanson claimed that Halal certification in Australia was funding terrorism. After the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, Hanson called for a ban on Muslim immigration to Australia. The same year, Hanson announced policies including a ban on building new mosques until a royal commission into whether Islam is a religion or a political ideology has been held, and installing CCTV cameras in all existing mosques. She has called for a "moratorium" on accepting Muslim immigrants into Australia.

In Pauline Hanson's 2016 maiden speech in the Senate, she said that "We are in danger of being swamped by Muslims who bear a culture and ideology that is incompatible with our own," "go back to where you came from," and called for banning Muslim migration. The speech prompted a walk out by Senate members of the Australian Greens.

Channel Nine’s Today show has dropped One Nation leader Pauline Hanson as a “regular contributor”, after she described residents of public housing in Melbourne who are locked down due to Covid-19 as “drug addicts” who “cannot speak English”.

In a statement, the channel described her comments as “ill-informed and divisive”, and said “she will no longer be appearing on our program as a regular contributor”.

Hanson was given a regular Monday morning slot on the Today show last year, after she left competitor Sunrise. This came after she was criticised on air by Channel 7 host David Koch for her comments on the Christchurch massacre.

Despite condemning her comments, Today had earlier tweeted out a video of Hanson’s appearance, 30 minutes after she appeared, with a caption summarising her comments.